Mother's Day - 2011

Matt spent the weekend in Fort Lauderdale with his college buddies....so Nash, Roscoe and I packed up and went to Indiana for the weekend.  I loved being able to spend mother's day with my mom!  We mostly just hung out and played with Nash....we did visit Katy and Clint's new house, I had to have my Bummies fix of a breaded cheeseburger/fries/root beer, and we were sure to get some cuddle time in with Macy and Mya.  I also got to meet sweet Halle Grace Moore for the first time - oh my goodness she is so sweet!  The entire family got together at Kober's house for dinner and it was quite the crazy household...doggies and babies everywhere!  So good catching up with everyone though...sometimes it makes me wish we were closer!

It was a perfect mothers day in many ways....I am so lucky to have my mom in my life, she is so amazing as a mother and as a friend and now a grandma!

Here are some pics from our weekend....



cute little bums playing the piano



miss halle!



clean cousins!

 



sweet cousins





 

sleepyhead(s)



first wagon ride

so fun!

what a big boy!



 



15 months - update

Our little guy is changing so quickly these days – learning new things, saying new things, getting into things, testing his limits, and being as cute as ever!  At his 15 month checkup with Dr. Mishu, he weighed 21 pounds and was 29 1/2 inches tall.  That’s the 10^th percentile for each.  Imagine that – we have a short kiddo.  :) He was hitting all the milestones she expected him to meet, so that was good to hear.  Here are a few other things he is up to at 15 months:

• The transition to the toddler room at school is complete and he is doing really well.  At first, he had to be held by a teacher and distracted by looking for birds and squirrels outside while we left the room after saying our goodbyes.  He is getting better, and soon I am sure he will be jumping in to play with his friends like he did in the baby room.  The only thing that really bothers me is the number of bites that he comes home with…I KNOW that this is the “biting” age and that it is going to happen, I just wish it wasn’t happening to my sweet baby.  Luckily he has only been the “bitee” and not the “biter” yet.  Although, I’m sure the day is coming! 
• Nash is finally eating some meat for us…and even though it is really just fish sticks and chicken nuggets, we’ll take it.  I would love for him to be interested in what WE eat, but he’s not there quite yet.  He still refuses “real” veggies and is still eating baby food veggies.  His pedi insists this is fine, it keeps him from losing the taste for the veggies, until he doesn’t want to be spoon fed by us anymore.  His favorite foods are any fruit (especially bananas, blueberries, grapes, pineapple) and any kind of cheese.  He’s not a big fan of pasta (even macaroni and cheese!) or veggies that aren’t pureed.  His teachers are school says he is a great eater and eats most things – probably because he sees his friends eating everything! 
• His vocabulary is exploding lately…he regularly says momma, daddy, Roro (Roscoe), beh (bird), ball, duck, bubble, fish, caca (cracker), nana (banana), buh (bug)…but will repeat most of the things we ask him too.  He knows what sounds cows, ducks, and dogs make. 
• His favorite games right now are any type of hide and seek – preferably behind chairs and curtains.  He is also very into his little push popper (you know, the cheapest birthday present we bought him) and any type of ball.  Roscoe popped his soccer ball – but he loves to kick the balls around. 
• Books are huge with Nashman right now…some of my favorite moments are when he picks out a book, walks up to me or Matt, turns around and scoots his little booty right into my lap for the story.  Makes me melt everytime. 
• Bathtime is one of his favorite times – “tubby” time is what we call it (thanks to the St. Francis’!).  He has a little fountain and a ball hoop in the tub that he loves…but usually his favorite toy is the cup we use to rinse his head.  He loves to drink the water (yes, gross…how do you stop it though??), and loves a bubble bath.
• Nash is consistently sleeping through the night.  He usually goes down around 7:30 and wakes up around 6:30.  His bedtime routine consists of bath, lotion/pajamas, allergy medicine, last drink of water, teeth brushing (which he despises), and books.  He’s starting to reject long periods of rocking and cuddling before bedtime…he would rather just be laid down most nights.  This makes me sad, so I am soaking up all the cuddles I can until he completely refuses.  He still sleeps with his pacifier and a few lovies – although he is not quite attached to any specific lovie just yet.
• Nash is obsessed with being outside, is jealous of Roscoe when he is outside, and throws a fit when we bring him inside.  I love the fact that he loves being outside, but the temper tantrums are quite dramatic! 
• Some of Nash’s favorite “no-no’s” are the dog bowls, toilets, plants, and the fireplace. 
• A few fun stories from the last few months that I want to write down before I forget:
•  During our trip to Indiana over mothers day weekend (future post), my nieces Macy and Mya called me “mamie” instead of Amy.  When we got back to Nashville, our little guy woke up the next morning….and instead of the “momma!”, I got “mamie!”.  That went on for a few days, but luckily wore off quickly! 
• For a few days in a row, Nash kept walking up to our fireplace and saying “bird, bird, bird” (one of his favorite words).  After bedtime one night, Matt and I were watching hockey playoffs when we heard chirps up the chimney!  Nash wasn’t just repeating one of his favorite words – he was telling us we had birds living in our chimney!  (For the record, they are still there…and most likely an endangered bird that we are not allowed to “remove” until they migrate back to Peru in the winer!)
• I watch American Idol lately, mostly because I am in a pool at work that I am close to winning, but lately when I watch it and Nash sees/hears everyone cheering and clapping for the contestants -  he mimics the claps and screams and cheers.  So cute!
• Nash thinks it's funny when he smells his feet (we blame Nannie and Opa for this trick!).  Quite hilarious! 

Here are some pictures over the last few months of our favorite little guy!




Nash's first haircut!




Easter basket before church

 

getting ready for the Easter egg hunt chaos

flamingos...probably his favorite thing at the zoo



this bridge by the flamingos...probably his favorite non-animal "thing" at the zoo




Mr. and Mrs. Renner!

Katy and Clint got married in Jamaica on April 8...it was such a fun time, and although we missed our Nashman – we managed to enjoy the time on the beach with family and no babies (and a few frozen drinks)!  Nannie and Opa were so sweet to stay with Nash while we were gone.  We picked up Nannie and Opa from the airport on a Tuesday evening, and we flew out Wednesday morning. 

We spent Wednesday through Sunday in Jamaica, and celebrated with Katy and Clint and our families.  Clint’s parents and brother and sister were all able to come, we got to meet Paige and her family for the first time.  They got married on Friday afternoon at 4:00, and it couldn’t have been prettier.    The ceremony was perfect….small and private, barefoot in the sand, on the beach.  I was the “official” photographer – and ended up having to change dresses after the wedding and before the wedding dinner because I was running around like a crazy person trying to get all of the shots I wanted.  Ha – needless to say – I was a little warm! 

We arrived back in Nashville to a house full of “snarfy” (Nannie’s word) people.  Nannie, Opa, and Nash all had a cold and weren’t feeling so great.  I think Nash was the best of all of them…his cold seemed to clear up in a few days while Nannie and Opa felt pretty terrible for the rest of that week.  They had a big time while we were gone…walking Roscoe dog, going to the park, visiting the Hermitage, visiting state parks – and I’m sure there were plenty of cuddles and kisses.  We really are so blessed and so lucky they were willing to fly to Nashville to stay with our special little dude – THANK YOU Nannie and Opa!

OK….now for some Jamaica/wedding pics.  These are a few of my favorites…enjoy!  We can't wait to celebrate with more family and friends at their reception in June!

Live Bunny Pictures!

Last weekend...we took Nash to get his pictures taken with live bunnies.  He wasn't too sure at first, but warmed up quickly - and by the time the shoot was over, he was ready to stay and play!  I love these pictures, and the way he was so excited over the bunnies.  Matt and I are tempted to buy the spotted one for him....but we're not so sure that Roscoe dog would be so thrilled with that decision.  Fow now, I think we'll remain a one pet household....

Enjoy the pictures!

From Goldfish to Green Grouper!

Our little dude has "graduated" from the infant room at school (the 'Goldfish' room) to the toddler room (the 'Green Grouper' room).  He transitioned for a week near the end of March by going in his new room for a few hours at a time - at different times throughout the week.  Both sets of teachers assured us he was doing great, but it was still stressful for momma! 

He completely transitioned April 4 to full time in the toddler room, and has seemed to adjust pretty well.  Even though he was doing great at school, we could see the effects at home....during the transition week and first full week, he wasn't sleeping well.  We had a few nights where he was awake from about 2 am to 5 am.  (Needless to say...my gym time of 5 am went by the wayside for a few weeks!) As of today (knock on wood), the sleep patterns seem to be back to normal and we haven't had any issues.  He is exhausted by 7:30, and sometimes even before then.  In his new classroom, there is only one nap a day from 12:30 to 2:30.  He was down to one nap a day in the infant room, but he usually went down when he was fussy and woke up whenever he felt like it....so, it's been an adjustment for sure.  His face still lights up when he sees his old teachers - Miss Pat and Miss Jennifer - but we really like his new teacher as well, Miss Kelley. 

He had a "going away" party in the infant room before he transitioned, so I joined them for the afternoon.  These kiddos are a riot, and many props to Miss Pat and Miss Jennifer - they are saints on earth for hanging out and keeping up with these busy little ones day after day.  We'll miss you!




Clockwise starting with Nash....Adaya, Jack, Lanie




enjoying the party snacks with Miss Jennifer and Miss Pat
(Ona in the chair, Cole in the bouncer)




Miss Summer, Nash's teacher on Monday's when Miss Pat is out




Jack and Nashman




tunnel time



Long time, no post!

I'm sitting at the shop waiting for my oil to get changed....so, I thought I would take the time to start some updates.  It's been a long time...our Nashman keeps us busy and on our toes...his personality is so vivid these days and we love it!  A few posts to come:

-Nash moves to the toddler room at school!
-Photo shoot with live bunnies
-Katy gets married in Jamaica...Nash stays home with Nannie and Opa
-Nash's 15 month check up

Can't have a post without that sweet face....

hide and go seek



facing off with roscoe dog



winner!




first time using a fork




chatting with paddington bear...he used to be daddy's when daddy was little!




we couldn't help ourselves...



umm...the discovery of nick jr when i am attempting to get dinner ready - life saver.



Catching up!

 It's been a while since I've posted....I think I'm due for a quick recap of what we've been up to lately.  It's not very often that I get to say this...but things around here have honestly been pretty laid back and calm!

The end of January and month of February were nice and relaxing.  We got to spend our weekends hanging out as a family, taking Roscoe dog on walks, playing in the yard, enjoying nap time, getting some things crossed off the never ending "to-do" list around the house.  We went to the zoo on a gorgeous weekend, we went to our first Predators game, and went to a birthday party for our little friend Duncan who turned 3.  Matt and I were able to get out a few times thanks to our sweet babysitter Jordan....we took a class to learn how to use our camera, and I took a follow up editing class.  Hopefully that will come in handy when we take pictures of Katy's upcoming wedding...lots of pressure!  We actually bought a new lens for the camera that we are learning to use too....wish us luck!

The zoo was great...I am partial to the Memphis zoo, the but Nashville zoo was nice.  Nash had his first carousel ride and we just let him do what he wanted.  He was more interested in watching the other kids at the zoo than the actual animals.  He liked the gibbons when they were swinging all around and making noise, and enjoyed the aquarium where he could get close and watch the fish swimming around.  Unfortunately, a few days after the zoo he was sick with a virus - and I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have let him get so close to the fish.  Ah...live and learn, right?  He had a blast though, so probably worth it.  He was exhausted by the end of the day, so were we!




watching the red pandas



big fish!

 



kisses for momma

 



such a big boy, no holding hands momma!



first carousel ride



running freeeeeeeeeee



pooped.



My mom came into town a few weeks ago on a Thursday evening....Nash stayed home from daycare with her on Friday and I know they had a ball.  It was so much fun having her here, we were sad to see her leave on Monday morning.  It was quite an interesting weekend though....our main breaker box went out and we had to have the entire thing replaced, so that made for an interesting Sunday (envision running refrigerators off of extension cords running through the house).  Hopefully we can convince Grandma Kay to do this more often when she has long weekends!  We'd love to share them with her more often!









thanks for coming grandma kay!





cuddles





come back soon, please!  xxoo!

Last Friday Matt and I went to the Grand Ole Opry....pretty much just to say we went, but also to see Carrie Underwood.  I knew my only chance to get Matt to a country concert was to take him to see someone as gorgeous as she is!  :)  So, that was fun....but we probably won't go back. Too many old people singing really twangy old country songs we had never heard of.  ha!  At least now we can explain to people what it is like when they visit.  But that would require us to have company first....right.

On Saturday we had some neighbors over for dinner....and I think we made new friends!! We're so excited (a little too excited probably) to have met Jada and Curtis and baby Bennett who is 9 months old.  They live down the street, and we met them when they were out on a run one day.  They're a new family of 3 like us, and we were excited to share an evening meal and drinks with them.  The kiddos played and we talked, and it seemed so normal and easy.  So, hopefully there will be many  more of those evenings in our future - it feels great to meet new people, especially as nice as they were.

We're getting ready for a trip to Memphis this weekend....headed there to catch up with old friends, Aunt Becky and Uncle Brad, and maybe Gus's Fried Chicken!  yum!

As for our Nashman...he is getting so big and acting like a toddler more and more every day.  He is officially no longer taking a bottle - we prepared ourselves for a weekend of tears and drama when we got rid of it two weeks ago, but he couldn't have cared less.  Bedtime routine is now bath, brushing teeth, stories...and then he's done.  He still takes his pacifier, but is usually so exhausted that he just goes right down.  It's sort of sad actually...he is getting to the point that he would rather just lay down instead of accept all of my cuddles.  He is good at going down for both Matt and I, so that is nice too.  He still just has the 8 teeth, although we keep expecting a molar to pop through any day!  Our love bug has turned into Mr. Mischievous...he definitely knows when he is about to do something wrong, and will check to see if we are watching.  Once the deed is done, he then runs and hides.  Little stinker!  I attempt to be serious, but it's so cute that I catch myself smiling when I should really be teaching him otherwise.  :)  He is beginning to eat a little meat....he will eat chicken nuggets for the most part and we tried fish sticks the other day, but he wasn't really into them.  We'll take anything at this point though.  One of his new favorite foods is dried cranberries...LOVES them.  He's still not taking milk from his sippy cup - even though he was taking it from a bottle.  He may take a teeny sip, but once he realizes it is not water, he wants nothing to do with it.  Our pedi insists we not stress about it since he eats plenty of dairy otherwise - so I do my best with that.  We try every few days with the milk, and so far it's not working.  No stress...no stress...no stress.  Nash gives the best kisses...still.  He opens wide, and it's almost as if he is going to bite and then at the last minute gives the big smack.  It is absolutely adorable.  And so are his hugs.  He is so lovable, and loves to hug babies.  He hugs the babies at daycare and was loading his little buddy Bennett up with hugs last weekend. Roscoe gets plenty of them too.  So stinking sweet.  Some days I just look at this little person who grew in my belly, and is now this living, breathing, smiling, laughing, kissing, hugging perfect little boy and I am overwhelmed with how in love I am.  The moments that it hits me are so powerful and so random, but I am so thankful for feeling this way.  I feel how real and deep my love for him runs, and it reminds me of how special and how important my job as mommy really is.  My life is good and so so blessed.

Geez...so this wasn't so "quick" was it?  Ooops!

Hope everyone has had a nice, relaxing couple of months like we have....I'll leave you with a few more pictures of our sweet little dude.




not sure what to do with the bubbles on his head.



our little baller



teasing roscoe dog with the ball

playing with our new camera lens in the backyard

irresistable.  heart piercing.  you know it.



best buds

in love with this photo

110% sweet